Tomorrow morning, Denver’s pubs can expect unusually green and heavy traffic as the streets downtown fill with shamrock-festooned crowds there to watch the annual parade. It is all part of one of the nation’s biggest celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day.
The Denver Police Department cautions city residents, though, that they will be there, too. And their Irish eyes won’t be smiling — they’ll be looking for drivers impaired by alcohol.
Expect to see officers patrolling the LoDo area, including around the Fado Irish Pub where a throng of celebrants will be hoisting a few, a TV station reports.
In 2014, law enforcement agencies across Colorado arrested 471 for DUI during the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. This year, the total might be even higher.
For many police departments, the enhanced DUI patrols begin tonight and will continue until early Wednesday morning. That means they will have extra officers out in patrol cars; officers’ main task on those nights will be to find and arrest intoxicated drivers.
Expect to see enhanced patrols in Denver, Aurora, and across the metro area, as well as in Colorado Springs, Boulder and other cities around the state.
If they automatically plead guilty, those arrested face the possibility of jail, loss of their driver’s licenses, substantial fines and substantial increases in their auto insurance rates. Rather than accept those harsh punishments, many turn to an attorney experienced in DUI defense for help. In many cases, charges can be reduced or dropped. An attorney can help you understand all of your legal options.